


Insomniac Alley

by JojiAttack



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Noir, Film Noir, Gladio is a trumpet player, Ignis is a bartender, Multi, Noctis is the mob boss' son, Prompto is a P.I., References to Drugs, bisexual awakening, mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-16 14:54:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14813531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JojiAttack/pseuds/JojiAttack
Summary: Morphine is spreading rampant in the underground streets of Insomnia, a territory occupied by the Lucis Family. Prompto, an immigrant P.I., is dragged into solving the case by the mob boss himself, Regis, to find evidence that the competing Flueret Family is behind it all. All is not what it seems when getting mixed up in the gang world, and a muscle-headed trumpet player named Gladio entering in Prompto's life doesn't help lessen the situation he finds himself in.TO BE REWRITTEN LATER





	1. Blue in Green

**Author's Note:**

> "joji! WHAT THE _FUCK_!?!?" yeah, i know. tbh i was debating whether or not i was prepared for this. like am i _really_ gonna commit my time to this? i haven't even written the second chapter to this and the plot is still fuzzy to me but eh, we'll make it through somehow. i know i'll be able to bullshit my way through. but i'm excited to do my noir au now, like, you guys have no idea how long i've waited to do this fic. i'm gonna need a lot of help but, eh, we'll see how it goes. anywho, this has been beta'd by @Lhugy_for_short
> 
> truly i would be lost in this world without her lmaoo. hopefully i won't get too exhausted from work to update it regularly.

‘What is it about this city that draws me in?’

Prompto leans back on the bench, enchanted by the passing boats floating across the lake as the morning sun dances on the water’s surface.

‘Nicknamed the Crown City from the amount of faux-royalty it attracts, I couldn’t help being drawn by the sights it had to offer. Someone like me should have never made it, especially not someone from Nifelheim. Insomnia, the city that never sleeps. I never thought it would be literal but thanks to the number of bars, clubs and casinos, residents can enjoy the nightlife for hours on end, shining bright from the dazzling lights at the plaza, the skyline from the docks, and The Citadel’s over-the-top building exterior that I stood in front of on that day. The day where I had met _him_.’

Prompto removes his battered white fedora, twirling it around his fingers, making sure to hold onto it for dear life so it wouldn’t get blown away in the wind.

‘This is a story of discovery. I don’t have all the details yet but maybe one day all the gaps will be filled. Today isn’t that day and I don’t know if that day will ever come. Even though he told me the world doesn’t work like that, I hope this is one of those times he’s wrong.’  

Delicate fingers place the fedora back on his head and he reached inside his pocket to pull out his lighter. The top flips open. The flame ignites instantaneous as it flickers in the gentle breeze.

‘It was no bother coming to the club, it’s just right across the street from my office, but could he have called at a reasonable time? It was 1AM on the dot when the owner’s assistant reached out to me for a new case. His name is Noctis, my friend. Best friend actually. He’s the sole reason for getting me a job as a P.I. and I’ve been grateful ever since. That’s why I was stupid enough to give up sleep to pick up their case, to repay the Lucis family in a way for giving an immigrant a chance in this city.’

* * *

 

Prompto shoved his hands in his trench coat pockets as he let the car in front of him pass, being careful not to get splashed by the puddle filled with rainwater. He lightly jogged to the front doors, nodding to the bouncer near the entrance. The place was crowded as one would expect on a Saturday night. Patrons sitting around tables passing quips and stories to one another while being served bourbon from the bar placed to the side. A rather tall man with glasses was running it, mixing together drinks effortlessly and passing them off to the servers. Prompto made a comment in his head that he had never seen the man before and would ask Noct about him later.

‘Speaking of Noct, where is he? He’s supposed to meet me at the bottom of the staircase,’ Prompto thought.

He could see through the club owner’s window just above him a tuft of dark hair hidden behind a couch. He was passed out. No doubt he fell asleep immediately after their call. Couldn’t his father keep him up for at least 10 minutes? Thankfully the guard by the stairs recognized him and let him through. Standing just before the door, he shook all of his nerves and knocked thrice to announce his arrival.

“Huh! Uh — Come in!” Noctis yelled from the other side. The blond pressed his lips together before turning the doorknob and entering the office. An old man sat behind a mahogany desk, his eyes shrouded in shadows and his face stone cold. Perhaps he wasn’t that old — just at the ripe age of 50 — but compared to the younger man standing behind him, he certainly wouldn’t call him youthful.

Prompto took off his fedora and bowed deeply. “Good evening, sir! Or…” He raised his body to check his watch. “Morning I should say.”

“Yo!” Prompto turned his head to Noctis waving two fingers while laying across the love seat, rubbing his eye from his nap. He nodded to acknowledge him.

“Morning, Prompto. Would you care for Nyx to fix you a drink?” Prompto relaxed at the seat in front of Regis — head of the Lucis family, father of Noctis.

“I’m good, sir, but a light would be nice.” Regis nodded once at Nyx. His subordinate  circled around the desk to pull out a matchbox. ‘Old-fashioned as always,’ Prompto commented to himself. Nyx lit a match when Prompto popped in a cigarette in his mouth.

The blond was wrapped in a sense of comfort from each slow drag, letting the smoke sit in his lungs before expelling it out, being careful not to blow it in the mob boss’ direction.

“I won’t be here long so I’ll let Noctis fill you in with all the details.” Regis pulled out a piece of paper with a list of addresses and names and slid it to Prompto. “We’re having a drug problem in our hands. Morphine. It’s affecting my regulars and rumors are arising someone is selling them here.” Prompto went over the list multiple times, checking to see if he recognized anyone.

“And these are the dealers?”

“What we know of so far.” Regis leaned back in his leather-bound seat, intertwining his fingers. “We’ve already sent one of our own to investigate, Crowe, but…” Dead air filled the room.

“But?”

This time, Nyx spoke up. “We haven’t heard back from her for a while.” Prompto’s eyes fell to the floor. A part of him cowered in fear of the same thing happening to him, still, he has no choice in the matter when the Don himself is asking for a favor.

“You want me to find who’s responsible and put a stop to it, right?” Regis stood up, prompting Nyx to grab his coat and placing it on his shoulders.

“Not quite.” Prompto knitted his eyebrows. “We know who’s responsible. All we need is the evidence to back it up and we can simply call the police on them.” Regis starts walking to the door, holding on to the handle before giving one last comment. “I trust my son will give you the adequate information you need for this task?” Noctis gave his father a thumbs up and a grin. “Good. I’ll see you both tomorrow for an update.”

The atmosphere felt considerably lighter when Regis and Nyx left. The boss was a fine man, clearly unlike the others with his more lax demeanor, but it still didn’t change the fact he could make anyone who got in his way disappear in a moment’s notice.

Prompto crushed his cigarette in the ashtray. His body begged for another but decided to hold off for now. “What’s up with your dad? Leaving in the middle like that, I mean.” He donned on his fedora and folded the paper in his pocket.

“Oh, that? He’s trying to get me used to the business of talking to clients. Y’know, for when I take over after he either retires or dies.”

“Geez, Noct.” Prompto stood next to his best friend, still sprawled on the love seat.

“I’m kidding. You really think dad is going to croak soon?” Noctis scooted up to leave some space for Prompto to sit. “I feel like I’ll die before he does,” he muttered to himself.  

Before Noctis could continue, notes from a piano rung with the soft tapping of drums on the other side of the window. All eyes were on the center stage being occupied by a blonde woman singing with an angelic voice that swayed the entire club.

“You wanna walk and talk?” Noctis suggested. The blond P.I. was completely enraptured by the singer, a hint of blush forming on his cheeks as his eyes followed the sway of her hips to the beat of the song. “Yo, Eos to Prom.” Noctis snapped his fingers in front of the distracted man, gaining his attention. Prompto glared at him in confusion indicating he didn’t catch what was said. “You got it bad, dude.”

“You say that like the feelings aren’t mutual.” Prompto stood up to leave the office followed by Noctis just behind him.

“The feelings are mutual?”

“Shut up.”

Cindy Aurum’s voice rose and shook Prompto to his core. Her hair was pinned up, lips dyed a blood red, and she wore a dress that blinded him from the amount of shine it emitted. ‘They are mutual,’ Prompto defended in thought.

“So, morphine.” Before reaching the final step, Noctis buttoned his blazer. “Some wild stuff, huh?”

“I guess but what got your dad interested in it?”

“He’s obviously not, but it’s what the Flueret family thought.” As the club reached closing time, the crowd had thinned out. Any remaining customers were molded around the stage, making the trip to the bar effortless. “They came to his office the other day offering to partner with him to get into the morphine business.”

“And he turned them down? I feel like that’s a bad move on his part.” The two sat at the bar and the new bartender began mixing Noctis’ usual.

“You’re telling me. But he went on about how it’s not what our family is about. The money is too dirty, he says and we only focus on gambling.” A rum and cola was placed in front of Noctis and he sipped on the carbonated drink.

‘I almost forgot there was an underground casino in here. It’s still illegal isn’t it? I still don’t get the difference between drug and gambling money but I guess if Regis has a line he wishes to never cross then that’s a plus in my book.’

“So we assume Ravus got pissy, crossed into our territory and used some of his goons to take care of the dirty work.” Prompto snorted at the use of Noctis’ diction. “Doing business in our turf without permission is a no-go, especially in the club. So, we sent Crowe to investigate, ask around, find who’s dealing them and any form of physical evidence we could use against them. We call the cops on them leaving our hands clean and all is good. But because it’s been days since Crowe was last seen, that’s where you come in.”

“This sure is a lot, Noct. You guys positive you want me to do this case?” Mid-sip, Noctis patted him on his back as a form of reassurance.

“Don’t sell yourself short. You think dad would’ve asked you personally if he didn’t believe you were capable enough for the job?” Noctis tried to encourage.

‘He’s not wrong, I just don’t want to end up like Crowe.’ Cindy announced she was done with her set, ready to leave for the day. Her smile was hypnotizing and he felt their eyes meet, as if they were only on him, as if the words, “Thank you for listening,” was meant for him.

“Maybe Cindy will notice how cool you look when you beat up Ravus.”

“Who said anything about beating anyone up? And again, feelings are mutual!”

“You keep using those words but I don’t think they mean what you think they mean.” Prompto rolled his eyes while resting his head on his hand.

‘He means well but can’t he just let me have this for once? It’s not like I teased him constantly about not ending up with Luna. Cindy’s just busy and can’t go out, that’s it.’

“Besides,” Noctis continued, “I thought you wanted to be hard-boiled. Cool, confident. Something that ‘attracts all the ladies’,” he quoted his best friend. Prompto merely shrugged in response, playing with the leftover coasters. “Prom, I know you, and I know that if you drop the tough detective act, Cindy would be all over your true self...if you talk to her.”

“Ah, there’s the catch,” he joked but nodded to show he agreed with his advice. Prompto was about to speak until someone came on stage to play a muted trumpet. While a piano and drum set did accompany the burly man, he was even more center staged than Cindy. Quiet blues filled the room leaving a somber, dark tone behind. His skin had a light tan, rough fingers played the instrument with grace, and his large body was cladded in a white and gray suit. He had never seen him before. He should know, he would’ve recognized that behemoth of a man anywhere. Which reminded him… “You guys hired new employees recently.”

“Seems like it. We’re shifting everyone’s schedule to prevent them from collapsing after working long hours.” Noctis sensed the other’s growing concern. “Don’t worry. None of our new staff is affiliated with the Flueret family, especially Ignis.”

“Ignis?” Noctis pointed his thumb at the bartender washing the used glasses.

“Easy on the eyes, huh?”

“I guess,” Prompto said out of reflex. “Not really my type.” Noctis laughed and followed up with a series of “I know” and “It was a joke” to the blond.

The two stayed until closing time, laughing from inside jokes and reminiscing about the past. The smell inside the club shifted from strong liquor to lemon-scented cleaning solution in a matter of minutes but it didn’t change Noctis’ alcoholic scent. Prompto had Ignis call a cab for the underboss, getting a good hold on the drunken man so he didn’t tip over.

“Pryna have any treats I bought left over?” Noctis still had a bit left in him but he was undoubtedly falling asleep. “I got her another bag if that’s okay.”

“She’s been running around in the mud lately,” Prompto chuckled, “I had to give her three baths over the weekend, safe to say she hasn’t been acting like a good girl.” When a cigarette settled in between his lips, a stranger’s lighter reached across to light his vice for him. A lightly tanned hand held on the silver case, leading his eyes to land on the trumpet player that was just on stage.

“I say a dog having some harmless fun shouldn’t be denied one of the many pleasures of life,” he spoke with a deep and rough voice to match his rugged look. The lighter was stored away in his pocket, the same free hand rested on the bar counter. “Name’s Gladiolus, but you,” his eyes twinkled as he stared stares at the blond’s blue eyes, “can call me whenever you’d like.” The suave smile as he hands over a slip of paper with his number made Prompto’s skin crawl. He instantly felt sorry for all the girls he hit on before now that he was on the receiving end. “And what should I call you?”

“I—”

“His name is Prompto,” Noctis intervened. The cigarette nearly fell out of his mouth when he spun his head to give a death glare at his best friend.

“Prompto,” Gladiolus said in a husky tone. “Rolls off the tongue. Can’t wait to call out your name in the future.” Noctis attempted to stifle his giggle.

“Uh—”

“Speechless? Don’t worry, I won’t bite... unless you’re into that.” The underboss nearly suffocated from holding in his laughter. He took pity on Prompto and helped him escape the conversation.

“Listen, we’ve got a long day tomorrow, right?” Noctis jabbed him in the back when he took too long to respond.

“Uh, right!”

“Prompto’s really tired so we’ll catch you later.” Gladiolus removed his hand from the counter and swung his instrument case lightly.

“Got it. Too forward.” Prompto almost felt genuinely sorry for the pained expression the man had. “I’ll try again next time.” Nevermind. “Have a good night, you two.” Before he walked away, Gladiolus took a good long stare at the blond determining whether or not a piece was missing. He removed Prompto’s own gray fedora and replaced it with his own, the size painfully obvious being too large for his head. “You look good in white.” With a smirk, he left the club giving Noctis the opportunity to openly laugh.

“How ironic was that?”

“Seriously?” Prompto switched back to his old hat securing it in place. “I can’t get one girl to look at me and this meathead tries to openly ask me out?”

“Prom, I don’t think he was asking you out. I think he just wants to get you into bed.”

“What!?” ‘No way. Absolutely no way.’ “Do I even look like I’m interested in men?” Noctis raised his glass of water to his lips and faced away.

“Well…”

“Noct!”

“I’m just kidding… still…” Prompto groaned and dragged him by his collar out the front doors making sure to bring Gladiolus’ hat to return later.

 


	2. Blue In Green: B Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio's POV during the chapter "Blue In Green"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hopefully in the future whenever there's a B side to chapter i'll post it at the same time. this time this one isn't beta'd, so apologies.

A muted note was played when Gladiolus’ lips pressed onto the mouthpiece and blew. The backstage of the Citadel’s club was overrun by janitors and any remaining band members listening to him practicing on his muted trumpet. Nothing like a classic jazz blues song to get his fingers worked up before performing on stage.

“Gladio, we’re almost up.” Perhaps playing the blues got him too worked up as time seemed to have slipped through his fingers, managing to get him distracted enough that his band member had to nudge his head to get him to stop playing. “We’re. Up. Gladio.” Dino, the drum player’s finger probed his shaven sides at each word.

At some point during his practice session, he had closed his eyes but opened a single amber colored one in annoyance to being interrupted. “How’s the audience?”

“It’s good, for a closing act.” Dino smiled sheepishly. “By now the majority are starting to leave now that Cindy’s finished.” Just then, a blonde woman followed by the rest of the band entered backstage. Dino couldn’t help but to ogle at the woman strut her way to her designated makeup table. “Speak of the devil. How’s it going, Cindy?”

Her energy drained face lit up as soon as Dino spoke to her. “Only two more shows till I’m gettin’ that shiny new coat finish for my project car. So I guess you could say I’m over the moon.” Dino melted at the sound of her country accent and her passion for cars but Gladio was un-phased, too busy coming up with ways to steal the show.

He stood up while adjusting his fedora. “Well, I hate to break it to you, Cindy,” Gladio said in a huskier than usual tone. “That ‘shiny new coat finish’ will just pale in comparison to the shine in your eyes.”

Cindy couldn’t help but to giggle. “Well aren’t you daring?”

“Then I dare ask if you’d like to go out for drinks with me soon.” The large man leant against the wall. “Maybe show me how well that car runs on the way there?” Gladio overheard Dino groaning at his flirtation causing his ego to swell.

Cindy gathered her things to leave for the day, stopping momentarily in front of him. “I’ll think about it.” And she left. Gladio could feel a sense of anger coming from his drummer as he got ready to go on stage.

“Oi, leave some for the rest of us, why don’t ya?”

Gladio simply grinned, showing no signs of stopping his antics when he stood deadlocked on stage staring at the audience. In the far corner of the club he gazed upon a blond man happily talking to the owner’s son. He had a well-shaped nose and light fluffy hair he so desperately needed to feel between his fingers. The youthful look to him was what won Gladio over, a face full of light that would brighten anyone’s day. Innocent, pretty, they were good qualities Gladio sought out for when looking for a partner. Forget about Cindy, he needed to get with this mystery man before he left the city.

“Hey, Dino.” Without tearing his eyes away, he tapped on the drummer’s shoulder to get his attention from adjusting his seat. “Who’s blondie over there with the owner’s son?” Dino peered over the drum kit to look at what Gladio was pointing out to.

“If ya had gone to orientation earlier, you would know that’s Noctis’ best friend, Prompto. _Strictly_ forbidden messing around with him.” Dino put emphasis on the word to get the message across to his partner but any information given to Gladio went through one ear and out the other except for the name. Prompto. A nice sounding name for a nice looking man. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna go after him as well.”

“You think he’s natural? I’ve never been with a blond man before.” It was clear to Dino he wasn’t paying attention to him, too engrossed in his next prey. He simply moved on, if it meant Gladio got over Cindy, anything was fine by him.

“Hurry up and play, you’ll get your chance to attack.”

And so he did. Gladio played with all his heart in hopes of catching the blond man’s attention with his music. He played and played, moving his fingers to the notes of his favorite jazz blues tunes, winning the approval of some but not from the one he wanted. He blew the last note for the night and was relieved to see Prompto was still there, comforting his friend.

He quickly realized it was closing time, meaning he was losing his chance to speak with the blond and rushed over to Dino, begging for a pen and paper. He received a ripped piece of sheet music and a broken pen, quickly scribbling his number on it and rushed to get his trumpet case.

Gladio rehearsed pickup lines in his head trying to find the perfect ones for the situation. He surprised even himself, he never expected to feel the same nervousness from when he was an awkward teen asking someone out for the first time again. It was a nice feeling but it really dragged him down at the moment and kept distracting him.

“Pryna have any treats I bought left over?” The owner’s son said as he was nodding off. “I got her another bag if that’s okay.”

“She’s been running around in the mud lately,” Prompto chuckled making Gladio weak at the sound of his modulated voice, giving him another reason to bed with him. “I had to give her three baths over the weekend, safe to say she hasn’t been acting like a good girl.” He pulled out a cigarette and placed it in between two thin pink lips. Gladio acted quickly, retrieving a lighter out of his suit pocket and lit the blond’s cigarette.

He was stunned, as one would expect, facing him to reveal a dash of freckles on his cheeks and bridge of his nose. Yeah, he’s not letting this one go.


End file.
